Old Friends (S12E22 Red Light episode tag 2)
by mccabebabe
Summary: Spencer Reid is out of prison. But is he really free? second in a series of episode tags for S12E22 Red Light


Red Light ep tag #2

Old Friends

CM

(Reid, Morgan)

©mccabebabe (Reidfan)

second in a series of episode tags for S12E22 Red Light. Reid is out of prison. But is he really free?

A big thanks to Aut for dropping everything to beta, and to Grace for the name suggestion.

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 _Lay this unto your breast: Old friends, like old swords, still are trusted best._ –John Webster

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"Do you mind, guys?" Derek Morgan addressed the security detail officers, who immediately deferred and backed off, returning to their posts and leaving the retired profiler in the safe room kitchen.

He acknowledged their cooperation with a nod then turned around to face Spencer Reid.

"Pretty Boy!" he exclaimed, hesitating for a slight moment and then closing the distance between them, he drew the younger man into a tight embrace under the watchful eye of Diana Reid's nurse.

He ruffled Reid's unruly hair and stepped back. Extending his right hand, he introduced himself, "Derek Morgan. Used to work with Spencer here. Taught him everything he knows." He smirked and then amended, "Well, maybe not everything. But young Dr. Reid here is like my little brother."

"Grace O'Halloran, my mother's new caregiver," Reid found his manners and made the introduction. Grace put her hand in Morgan's and replied, "Hello. Nice to meet you. And I suppose I will leave you two to it, I want to check on my patient."

She withdrew her hand, and stepped past the two men, pausing to touch Reid's arm, "I want to make sure your mother is all right. Hope the commotion didn't unsettle her."

He whispered his thanks in return then turned his attention back to Morgan.

"I brought breakfast," Morgan said needlessly, indicating the paper bags on the table.

Reid nodded and retrieved two mugs from the cupboard. Morgan sat down by the table and started unpacking their breakfast from several of the bags as Reid brought over the coffeepot and cream and sugar.

"How you doin', Ki—Spencer?" Morgan corrected himself, remembering his pledge with David Rossi that they should stop referring to Reid as a kid. Even though it was meant affectionately, both Morgan and Rossi felt they were perpetuating disrespect. Although Reid had never complained about it, Rossi figured it had to rankle at least a little and he and Morgan had mutually decided to put an end to it. Old habits died hard though, Morgan thought. Sighing, he spoke, "Sorry, Spencer," he reached out and favoured Reid with an affectionate light punch on the arm.

Reid's brow furrowed as he poured coffee for both of them. Morgan saw it and explained, "You're not a kid. In fact, after Rossi, you're the ranking agent now. Gotta stop calling you kid, Kid. Whoops. My bad."

Reid shook his head and smiled slightly, "It's okay, and I've been called worse."

Morgan stirred sugar and cream into his coffee and watched intently as Reid added spoonful after spoonful of sugar to his own mug. He spent a long moment searching for the right words and then spoke,

"So, thanks for letting me come see you before I head back home." He saw that Reid was about to say something and held up his hand to forestall it. "I get it, Reid, about you not wanting to see me when you were," he paused, " _inside_." Reid's lips pursed and his eyes reflected sadness and a twinge of guilt. He could see that Reid was closing himself off and Morgan, wanting none of that, pressed on.

"I want you to know you have no reason to be ashamed, or to feel guilty about any of it. The Spencer Reid I've known for a dozen years would never harm anyone or willfully take an innocent life. You should never have been in there in the first place. And what happened in there happened because you were doing what you always do—and that is looking out for an innocent person. And this time, that innocent person was _you_."

Morgan took a bite of his breakfast sandwich and washed it down with a long swig of his coffee. His eyes never left Reid who picked at his own breakfast but nursed his coffee reverently.

"I mean it, Reid. You are _not_ like those others. You are _not_ a psychopath. You're a good person. A good person who got caught up in a bad situation."

He paused to finish eating the sandwich and refilled both their mugs with coffee. They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes while Morgan internally rehearsed what he wanted to say. Reid was staring off into space, deep in thought and Morgan's voice snapped him back into the present.

"I want you to promise me something. A couple of somethings, actually," Morgan prodded.

Reid lifted his eyes to meet Morgan's gaze and he murmured, almost unintelligibly, "What?"

"First, promise me. Promise me, Reid, that you will talk to someone about this. I don't mean me. Or JJ or even Rossi. I mean a professional. Please don't throw up that wall of self-defense and shut everyone out. You have to talk to someone. Trust me."

He was heartened to see Reid nodding in agreement as he spoke and smiled affectionately as the younger man replied.

"I'm going to be seeing a therapist, Derek. We had group sessions at Milburn once a week. The prison psychologist wanted me to keep a journal which I did until the guard took it away. Grace has already set me up with another psychologist, a professional friend of hers. I start in a couple of days, once I have my mom settled."

After a few more sips of coffee, Reid remembered Morgan had mentioned multiple promises.

"What else, Morgan?"

"I assume you're gonna go back to the unit?"

"Once Emily has me reinstated, yeah."

"That's great, Reid, but promise me. I know it's all about your mom right now, until you get that sorted out. But promise me, you'll have yourself a life too. It can't be all about _work_ and all about _mom_ anymore, Reid, it's gotta be about _Spencer_ sometimes too."

Reid nodded slightly.

"I mean it, Ki—uh, Spencer—and you can start by coming out to see Hank soon. He misses you."

"He misses me? Morgan, he doesn't even know me."

"And he _needs_ to know you, little brother. He needs to know the most important man in his life after me."

Morgan reached out to ruffle Reid's hair again.

"Tell me about him, Derek. Is he walking and talking yet?"

"I got pictures, Spencer," Morgan laughed and hauled his phone out of his pocket. "Boy, do I have pictures."

They spent the next half an hour going through multitudes of Hank Spencer's photos while Morgan detailed the child's first teeth, first words and other memorable moments. Morgan was heartened to see that Reid had found his appetite and the talk about little Hank had lifted his spirits.

Reid declined another coffee but Morgan refilled his own mug and sat back in the chair.

"I do have a plane to catch, but I gotta know before I go, that you're okay, Reid," Morgan started. "I know I said it when I left last year, and I still mean it. I'm only a phone call away. If you need anything, Spencer. Anything at all. Even if it's just for a listening ear."

Reid nodded and stifled a yawn. "I'm okay, Derek. Really. I am. Sorry. I'm just still so tired," he trailed off. Morgan rose from his seat and Reid quickly followed suit.

They embraced once again and shook hands. Morgan clapped Reid on the back, "It was really good to see you again. And I promise it won't be so long before the next time."

Again Reid nodded and Morgan told him, "You need to go back to sleep."

"I do. Give Savannah my best and Hank a big hug and kiss from me," he rubbed one eye with his left hand. "Thank you for coming by, Morgan, and for," he paused, "everything."

Morgan nodded acknowledgment as Grace entered the kitchen.

"He's exhausted, he needs to—" Morgan started.

"Go back to bed," Grace directed at Reid.

"Uh huh," he agreed, turning towards the hallway to the bedrooms, "Good bye, Morgan."

"See you again soon, Reid," Morgan replied.

"I'll see Mr. Morgan out," Grace promised him as Spencer padded down the hallway back to his bedroom.

She walked Morgan to the door, thanking him for his visit. Out of Reid's earshot, Derek Morgan leaned over to say a few words to the caregiver, exchanged telephone numbers with her and extracted a couple of promises from her.

And then Spencer Reid's oldest friend walked out into the darkness of the early dawn with the knowledge that it would soon be light in the world of his young friend again.

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